Today, August 21st is the birthday of two literary luminaries, Ray Bradbury and Annie Proulx. Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois in 1920 but his family moved to Los Angeles when he was twelve. Hoping to be an actor, he was encouraged by two of his high school teachers who saw promise in his writing to take that road instead. He first published in small science fiction magazines but got his first break when one of his stories was accepted in the 1945 edition of the anthology, Best American Short Stories. Perhaps his best known novel is Fahrenheit 451 about a fireman in a future society whose job it is to burn books. But on taking one home and reading it, he decides to join a revolutionary group that tries to keep literature alive.

Here is a selection of new adult Spanish books at the library. Use the links below to reserve a book or browse the shelves at each branch looking for the "NEW" stickers on each book. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about Spanish books at the library, e-mail stantont@aadl.org. Enjoy!Su mejor vida ahora: siete pasos para vivir a su máximo potencial
Spanish translation of "Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential" by pastor Joel Osteen.Una vida con propósito : para qué estoy aquí en la tierra?
Spanish translation of "The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?" by the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in California, Rick Warren.La audacia de la esperanza/The audacity of hope por Barack Obama
Spanish translation of the #1 New York Times Bestseller by U.S. presidential candidate and Illinois senator Barack Obama

Here is a selection of new adult Spanish books at the library. Use the links below to reserve a book or browse the shelves at each branch looking for the "NEW" stickers on each book. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about Spanish books at the library, e-mail stantont@aadl.org. Enjoy!La fortuna de Matilda Turpin por Álvaro Pombo
Winner of the 2006 Premio Planeta, Alvaro Pombo's novel is a forceful novel about dealing with loss, grief and family. The main character, Juan Campos, a retired philosophy professor, deals with the mixed legacy of his late wife, Matilda Turpin, a spirited businesswoman who died suddenly, leaving behind three children and Antonio and Emilia, a couple who has been the family's servants and friends for decades.La dama azul por Javier Sierra

Here are more new adult German books at the library. Use the links below to reserve a book or browse the shelves at each branch looking for the "NEW" stickers on each book. The selection is different at each branch. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about German books at the library, e-mail stantont@aadl.org. Enjoy!

Today, July 27, is the birthday of New Yorker writer, Joseph Mitchell who was born in Fairmont, North Carolina in 1908. His Southern roots informed his writing although most of his stories were of eccentric characters living on the edge in New York City. He talked with fishmongers, gypsies and Mohawk Indians who worked as riveters on bridges and skyscrapers. He interviewed criminals, politicians and celebrities. He wrote about gin mill owners, con artists and a flea circus operator. Most of his writing is collected in the book, Up in the Old Hotel. Mitchell thought of himself as a good interviewer because "he had lost the ability to detect insanity."

New popular fiction translated into Spanish. Any questions, comments or suggestions on Spanish language materials or any foreign language materials, please e-mail stantont@aadl.org

Cell por Stephen King
A translation of King's popular novel in which a single pulse transmitted through every operating cell phone on the planet turns people everywhere into inhuman killing machines, and civilization grinds to a halt in a terrifying riot of violence. It falls to a small group of survivors to turn the tables and take back the streets--or die trying.Laberinto de sueno y angustia por Atiq Rahimi
Translated directly from Persian, Rahimi is the Afghan author and producer of the novella and subsequent film "Earth and Ashes".Tiempo de matar por Lisa Gardner
Translated from English "The Killing Hour", a novel by popular mystery and suspense writer Lisa Gardner.

In Jeffrey Lent's third book, A Peculiar Grace, Hewitt Pearce, a reclusive metal worker who lives in backwoods Vermont is drawn out of his hermit's existence by Jessica, a troubled waif, who shows up at his door. He then finds out that his lost love, Emily, has recently been widowed. Flashbacks uncover Hewitt's painful family history and time spent under the influence while living in a commune. Hewitt must come to terms with his past while risking a new or rekindled love in the present. Lent is the author of the widely hailed first novel, In the Fall which Library Journal calls "a monumental family narrative."

Anne Fadiman's new book of essays, At Large and At Small is in the familiar vein, meaning each essay is "a confiding, inquiring, and witty reflection on a passionately considered subject." (Booklist). These essays follow the tradition of early 19th century works, not the more contemporary critical or personal essay. Fadiman, also the author of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, covers a range of topics, from ice cream and coffee to the adventures of an Arctic explorer, butterfly collecting and a personal account of a tragic whitewater rafting trip. Fadiman's language is meticulous, her insights often humorous and her concern for the larger questions of meaning and truth evident in all she writes.

Today, July 10, is the birthday of Canadian short story writer, Alice Munro who was born in Wingham, Ontario in 1930. This small town that she longed to move away from because no one was interested in literature or writing later held the treasures she would mine for her stories. When she was in her thirties, married and with children, her husband opened a bookstore where she found refuge to write. Returning home to care for her aging father, Munro realized the richness of everyday speech and the depth of story in ordinary peoples' lives. Her many stories are beautifully written, full of compassion and insight into the human drama.

Featured Events

Exhibit Preview: Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit

While Diego Rivera was painting his famous Detroit Industry frescos at the Detroit Institute of Arts, he and his wife Frida Kahlo spent a tumultuous, yet highly productive, year in Detroit. Their time here from 1932 through the spring of 1933 is the focus of a new exhibit at the DIA, opening on Sunday, March 15. DIA docent Carol George will present an exhibit preview and discuss how Detroit became a pivotal force in each artist’s life and work on Thursday, March 5 at 7 pm at the Downtown Library.

Find out about all of the library's fun stuff for kids with AADL's parent page! JUMP is your stop to find recommended stuff for kids and learn about upcoming library events. Parents can also get information to plan their visit to the library an even find out about resources to help kids with their homework. It's all at jump.aadl.org!